This is going to be a quick blog- I went to bed after 2am and overslept this morning, then I had to hightail it out the door to be in Boston for our 4th donation to the Dept. of Children and Families. We had our PS Board of Directors meeting tonight. We hadn't met in a while, so it was good to get together. Michelle just joined our board and I'm really happy that she did. She has a ton of energy and enthusiasm and she has been supporting Project Smile for almost 4 years anyways, so it is a good fit to have her on our board. I am looking to expand our board even more. The meeting went well, we reviewed a lot of things, there were a lot of good ideas shared and everyone has action items to work on.
Tomorrow morning, I have to be in Tewksbury for donations to the police and fire departments, then I'm picking up a collection of stuffed animals from a local elementary school. We rarely ever make pick-ups, but this school collected them for us and I wanted to make sure we donated to the local departments. Since I'm going to be in their town, it isn't a big deal to pick up their donation. I have a lot of work to get back to. I need to finish our June newsletter and then I have to send a lot of updates to our web host. Tomorrow, I'm also focusing on obtaining financial sponsors for our events. I found out today that two more businesses that sponsored our Anniversary Celebration are not going to be supporting us this year, so that was really disappointing. There is also another fundraising angle that I want to explore, it is very basic, but is very productive for many charities. I also have a lot of following up to do with calendar participants and date auction outreach.
I should get to bed early- it is 12:30 now. I didn't exercise yesterday or today, so I need to wake up early enough tomorrow to get my cardio in before heading out. I have to write my list- I get quite lost sometimes without my list. Until next time friends...
Take a look behind the scenes of running a nonprofit organization.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Holding On
So what's new? It is tough going tonight. I was preparing for our board meeting tomorrow night and looking over our finances. There weren't any new revelations, but there is something jarring about looking at the figures in black/white. The first half of our year usually is slow in fundraising, so this is not unusual. However, this is particularly slow. I don't want to keep harping on our financial situation- given the state that many other businesses are in, it could be a heck of a lot worse and the fact is that we are paying all our bills and staying afloat, so that in itself is good news. The most important thing right now is to hold on and keep doing our work. I try to keep in mind that if we can make it through these lean times, there is nothing we can't survive. This month marks five years that I have been working on PS full time. Most small businesses don't last 5 years, so just the fact that we're still here, still chugging along, still growing, is something that I'm proud of. 75% of all nonprofits raise less than $20k in revenue annually- we crossed that line in 2005- our first year of full time fundraising. Many times I focus on all the things that aren't going well- I don't talk about it much because it is important to always appear positive, but I'm always caught up with the long list of things that need improvement. The lows that come with this job and the constant pressure that comes with running a business are really tough to deal with sometimes. On the flip side- when things are going well, the high is addictive. There is so little that compares with the thrill, the rush, that feeling of accomplishment that comes when things going well. There are no words to describe how good it feels. It's funny, I hate roller coasters with a passion, but my job is one constant roller coaster.
There is so much that I don't understand. I don't understand why people tell you, unprompted, what they think you want to hear. I don't understand why people say things, then, just a short time later, act like they never said it. I don't understand how someone you consider a friend can disappoint you in such a way that it leaves you reeling in shock and hurt. Maybe I should understand it, I've seen enough people act in horrible ways, perhaps it shouldn't be so surprising. But it is still surprising. I don't think I expect too much from people- just to be treated with respect- that's basically what it all comes down to. Because when you respect someone, you treat them well and you don't lie to them or play them for a fool.
Anyways, it is 2am. I should have been in bed an hour ago. There are lots of other things that I wanted to write about tonight, but now I need to sleep. Tomorrow, I'm donating to DCF again, then our board meeting in the evening. I did a donation to Melrose PD today. Well, I'm off to write my list, then bed.
There is so much that I don't understand. I don't understand why people tell you, unprompted, what they think you want to hear. I don't understand why people say things, then, just a short time later, act like they never said it. I don't understand how someone you consider a friend can disappoint you in such a way that it leaves you reeling in shock and hurt. Maybe I should understand it, I've seen enough people act in horrible ways, perhaps it shouldn't be so surprising. But it is still surprising. I don't think I expect too much from people- just to be treated with respect- that's basically what it all comes down to. Because when you respect someone, you treat them well and you don't lie to them or play them for a fool.
Anyways, it is 2am. I should have been in bed an hour ago. There are lots of other things that I wanted to write about tonight, but now I need to sleep. Tomorrow, I'm donating to DCF again, then our board meeting in the evening. I did a donation to Melrose PD today. Well, I'm off to write my list, then bed.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Updates
Here's a funny story- so I was making my phone calls this afternoon for silent auction items and I called a Framingham area restaurant that is well known, it is a very nice place. I asked the lady who answered the phone who I should speak with about a gift certificate donation, she told me who to speak with, but then added how the restaurant wasn't doing any donations anymore because the restaurant business was so difficult these days, etc. I didn't say anything after she spoke, so she transferred me to the manager. I told him about PS and our event and he immediately responded by offering a $50 gift card. Usually, I have to go through a process where you ask, then send a letter, then follow up many times, so this was wonderfully simple. It was just so funny how his response was such a contrast from the receptionist- and it is an example of how important it is to follow through. I could have listened to what she said and just given up before I even talked to the manager, but no way was I going to do that.
I think it is also interesting how one finds businesses that won't donate to you unless you have an event with them. Now, I understand that businesses can't donate to every charity that asks- I totally get that. However, as someone who runs a charity, I can say without reservation that I will only be holding our events at locations that have already made donations to PS. Example- a few months ago, we received a golf outing gift certificate from an area golf course. The manager was very pleasant and after he said he would donate, he asked me to consider using their facilities for our future events. Today, I spoke with another golf course who flat out said that they wouldn't donate unless we held an event there. So, in order to get a gift certificate worth about $200, a charity has to give you thousands of dollars in immediate business? When the day comes that we hold a golf tournament for PS, and it will come, guess where I will be heading. Imagine if every theatre, restaurant, store, salon, museum, sports team, professional service required the charity to do business with them before they make a contribution. Imagine if the Sharks said that they wouldn't support Project Smile because no one on our staff went to a game. Obviously, I understand certain places give preference to people who frequent their business or have connections, but that doesn't mean that you eliminate everyone else.
What else is new? We received a $1,000 donation from the Walmart Foundation yesterday. I was so happy about that. They have donated for the past 4 years, but usually the donation comes in a little bit earlier. I had been thinking about it for the past couple of weeks and was wondering what was happening. I was getting pretty disappointed. It's not a huge amount of money, but it is very important. Repeat donations like this are the backbone because it allows you to add new fundraising while still having your base support.
Yesterday, I felt like I didn't get much accomplished during the day- my list had too few check marks next to it. I was also feeling anxious, so I decided that I couldn't go to bed like that. I went back to work at about 11:30 and worked until almost 2am. I got a lot done, particularly following up on a lot of emails that had been piling up and catching up on other things. I went to bed a lot happier because I felt like I had accomplished enough. We have 2 new police department donations scheduled for next week as well as another DCF donation, so I'm happy about that.
Today, I did our first photo shoot for the 2010 calendar. I can't believe we're working on the 2010 calendar. I remember when I was a little kid thinking how 2010 was so very far away, it didn't even seem like a real year- like it was too cool to be real. Douglas Fire was our first photo shoot. It was funny- I was outside doing the photos with the kids and the FF, when a friend who I hadn't seen in months came over. She was driving by on her way home from work and saw the group of kids getting their photo taken and knew it was me, so she pulled in to say hello. It was so unexpected and good to see her.
Anyways, that's it for tonight. I'm off to write my list, then bed. I'm trying to hold off the urge to have another frozen lemon popsicle- they are so delicious. The perfect summer dessert. Except, it is 58 degrees outside tonight and that doesn't exactly qualify as a summer night. I don't think they are particularly unhealthy. Well, off I go- I probably won't divert to the freezer. It is already 12:45 and I should go to bed at a decent hour and not spend extra time watching ESPN and sucking on a fabulous lemon popsicle- however tempting that sounds right now..
I think it is also interesting how one finds businesses that won't donate to you unless you have an event with them. Now, I understand that businesses can't donate to every charity that asks- I totally get that. However, as someone who runs a charity, I can say without reservation that I will only be holding our events at locations that have already made donations to PS. Example- a few months ago, we received a golf outing gift certificate from an area golf course. The manager was very pleasant and after he said he would donate, he asked me to consider using their facilities for our future events. Today, I spoke with another golf course who flat out said that they wouldn't donate unless we held an event there. So, in order to get a gift certificate worth about $200, a charity has to give you thousands of dollars in immediate business? When the day comes that we hold a golf tournament for PS, and it will come, guess where I will be heading. Imagine if every theatre, restaurant, store, salon, museum, sports team, professional service required the charity to do business with them before they make a contribution. Imagine if the Sharks said that they wouldn't support Project Smile because no one on our staff went to a game. Obviously, I understand certain places give preference to people who frequent their business or have connections, but that doesn't mean that you eliminate everyone else.
What else is new? We received a $1,000 donation from the Walmart Foundation yesterday. I was so happy about that. They have donated for the past 4 years, but usually the donation comes in a little bit earlier. I had been thinking about it for the past couple of weeks and was wondering what was happening. I was getting pretty disappointed. It's not a huge amount of money, but it is very important. Repeat donations like this are the backbone because it allows you to add new fundraising while still having your base support.
Yesterday, I felt like I didn't get much accomplished during the day- my list had too few check marks next to it. I was also feeling anxious, so I decided that I couldn't go to bed like that. I went back to work at about 11:30 and worked until almost 2am. I got a lot done, particularly following up on a lot of emails that had been piling up and catching up on other things. I went to bed a lot happier because I felt like I had accomplished enough. We have 2 new police department donations scheduled for next week as well as another DCF donation, so I'm happy about that.
Today, I did our first photo shoot for the 2010 calendar. I can't believe we're working on the 2010 calendar. I remember when I was a little kid thinking how 2010 was so very far away, it didn't even seem like a real year- like it was too cool to be real. Douglas Fire was our first photo shoot. It was funny- I was outside doing the photos with the kids and the FF, when a friend who I hadn't seen in months came over. She was driving by on her way home from work and saw the group of kids getting their photo taken and knew it was me, so she pulled in to say hello. It was so unexpected and good to see her.
Anyways, that's it for tonight. I'm off to write my list, then bed. I'm trying to hold off the urge to have another frozen lemon popsicle- they are so delicious. The perfect summer dessert. Except, it is 58 degrees outside tonight and that doesn't exactly qualify as a summer night. I don't think they are particularly unhealthy. Well, off I go- I probably won't divert to the freezer. It is already 12:45 and I should go to bed at a decent hour and not spend extra time watching ESPN and sucking on a fabulous lemon popsicle- however tempting that sounds right now..
Monday, June 8, 2009
Monday Updates
I don't know what happened- I've had a wave of tiredness hit me about 2 hours ago and all my wonderful plans that I had for all the work I was going to do when I got home tonight, after watching the season premiere of The Closer, seem to have vanished out the window. It was about all I could do to check emails and start blogging. I'm also starting to get that familiar worry feeling coming back- it seems to coincide with feeling tired. Today was actually a good day, so I shouldn't be feeling down. I wrote a very extensive list last night of 18 items, I got to 9 of them, but that wasn't actually too bad. Last night, I couldn't get to sleep because I was worried that I wouldn't get anyone to participate in our calendar and how we need more bachelors/ettes to be auctioned off. They were slightly irrational fears, I know that, but they are still things that I get anxious about. Things went well today, I dragged myself out of bed and got going with emails that needed sent and launched a recruitment drive for the date auction, reached out to more police/fire departments for photos and worked on a few other things. By the end of the day, I had more singles signed up and had made contact with more departments for photos. I'm also going to be going to the new police academy class to recruit single police officers for our date auction- that is always a fun trip. I also scheduled our next donation to the Dept. of Children and Families for next week.
Anyways, I think I need to go to bed. I wish I got more done tonight, but it's not so bad considering things went well today. I will write my list and go to bed early, it is 12:15 now and make tomorrow another productive day. Good night!
Anyways, I think I need to go to bed. I wish I got more done tonight, but it's not so bad considering things went well today. I will write my list and go to bed early, it is 12:15 now and make tomorrow another productive day. Good night!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Moving Along
Well, I am just home from a delightful evening. I've belonged to the Hello Stiletto Shoe Club for a couple of years now- it is an awesome social group which is based around women's love of shoes. Hello Stiletto does lots of different events- social gatherings at bars/restaurants, shopping events, museum visits, formal events, etc. Melissa, who started the group, also generously helps support Project Smile. She is the reason that Sofft Shoes was on board as a sponsor for our date auction last year and she is supporting our date auction again this year (along with Sofft). It is wonderful when you meet people who are just so kind and helpful and always a pleasure to be around- Melissa is one of those types of people.
Anyways, tonight there was an event at Copley Plaza- the upscale shopping mall in Boston which featured a fashion show. I got to model a pair of super hot Stuart Weitzman red satin pumps. I had a blast- it was a very fun experience. It meant even more to me because I have been having a stressful time with work. I've been very wrapped up with our financial pressures and I've been losing sight of all the good things that are going on and how lucky I am in many ways. Participating in this event tonight reminded me of how much I have to be happy for. As I walked the catwalk, I could hear Melissa introducing me and she included my title and that I worked for Project Smile- I couldn't help but feel proud as I listened to the introduction.
What is new with work? Well, yesterday went well in terms of time management. I didn't get obsessed with working on one thing and managed to work on different topics. We did get commitments for a couple of new silent auction items for our anniversary celebration. Tomorrow, I have to pick up a gift certificate from the Whitin Community Center. We are in what I am kindly referring to as a holding pattern in regards to date auction gift certificates. We have been at 22 certificates for too long now- we need to get to 40. I have also started making phone calls to set up calendar photo shoots- it always takes a while in the beginning to get things set up. I always get worried that things won't work out and I'll have a calendar with no photos in it which also means a debut party/anniversary celebration/major fundraiser of the year which no one will attend because there is no one is in the calendar. Yes, the worry thoughts keep growing.
Well, that's it for tonight. It is 12:40 and I should be heading to bed, I have a long list to write for tomorrow. This is the earliest I've been to bed in a few days. I'm fighting the urge to eat some cheese/crackers or frozen lemon popsicle- I shouldn't. I've had plenty of food tonight and seriously don't need anymore. Until next time friends..
Anyways, tonight there was an event at Copley Plaza- the upscale shopping mall in Boston which featured a fashion show. I got to model a pair of super hot Stuart Weitzman red satin pumps. I had a blast- it was a very fun experience. It meant even more to me because I have been having a stressful time with work. I've been very wrapped up with our financial pressures and I've been losing sight of all the good things that are going on and how lucky I am in many ways. Participating in this event tonight reminded me of how much I have to be happy for. As I walked the catwalk, I could hear Melissa introducing me and she included my title and that I worked for Project Smile- I couldn't help but feel proud as I listened to the introduction.
What is new with work? Well, yesterday went well in terms of time management. I didn't get obsessed with working on one thing and managed to work on different topics. We did get commitments for a couple of new silent auction items for our anniversary celebration. Tomorrow, I have to pick up a gift certificate from the Whitin Community Center. We are in what I am kindly referring to as a holding pattern in regards to date auction gift certificates. We have been at 22 certificates for too long now- we need to get to 40. I have also started making phone calls to set up calendar photo shoots- it always takes a while in the beginning to get things set up. I always get worried that things won't work out and I'll have a calendar with no photos in it which also means a debut party/anniversary celebration/major fundraiser of the year which no one will attend because there is no one is in the calendar. Yes, the worry thoughts keep growing.
Well, that's it for tonight. It is 12:40 and I should be heading to bed, I have a long list to write for tomorrow. This is the earliest I've been to bed in a few days. I'm fighting the urge to eat some cheese/crackers or frozen lemon popsicle- I shouldn't. I've had plenty of food tonight and seriously don't need anymore. Until next time friends..
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Time Management
So what's new? Well, today was not a day of big accomplishments. Last night, after I finished blogging, I went back to work and didn't get to bed until 3am- so this morning, I wasn't particularly productive. I feel like I'm in a difficult position- I've been working really hard on fundraising, particularly focusing on obtaining financial support for the date auction and I have let other things slide. I have a lot of other work that needs attention- program work, kicking our CT efforts up, calendar photos, grants, etc. and I haven't been spending enough time on any of those things because I am so caught up with trying to get more financial sponsors for the date auction. The worst part is that I'm spending all this time and I have so little to show for it. Every day, I start out with the best intentions- I'm going to spend time working on different areas that need attention, except the fundraising is so hard that I get caught up in it and I keep going until I get results- but the whole day will go by and I haven't much to show for it. Then the day is over and another day has gone by and my list of things that I didn't get to grows even longer.
The solution isn't to stop working on date auction sponsorship. The bottom line is that we need money and right now donations are down, so I do need to double up the efforts to bring in these dollars. However, I can't devote all this time to it at the expense of everything else that needs done. I need help- I need people in this office who can work on some of these things. I can't hire staff, that's out of the question, so I need to find more reliable volunteers who can actually spend some serious time helping out. I don't know where to find these volunteers- do they even exist?
I know that if we can get through this economic situation we can get through anything, and we will get through this. There is nothing in the world I'd rather be doing than running my business, so we will keep plugging along. It may not be pretty right now, we're going through some seriously difficult times, but it won't last. All that is good doesn't last and neither does all that is bad- we live in a world of cycles. We're on the downside right now, but we'll keep hanging on and soon enough we'll be on the upside again.
So, I'm going to write my list for tomorrow- except I will put date auction sponsors at the bottom of the list and I will spend time concentrating on the things that I've let slide. The date auction is super important, but it is not our only source funding and I need to focus on other things. I will still work on the sponsorship tomorrow, but I will give it an hour time limit. I do need to get better with time limits- I will start working on a topic and intend to only work for one hour, but I get so focused with what I'm doing that I'll keep going for 2 or 3 hours. I get results obsessed. There is a high that comes with getting a good result and so until you reach that high, it is very hard to stop working on something. Yikes- I sound like an addict!
Anyways, I'm glad that I blogged tonight. I was feeling pretty stressed today, but it helped writing about things tonight. Well, I'm off to write my list, then bed. Until tomorrow friends..
The solution isn't to stop working on date auction sponsorship. The bottom line is that we need money and right now donations are down, so I do need to double up the efforts to bring in these dollars. However, I can't devote all this time to it at the expense of everything else that needs done. I need help- I need people in this office who can work on some of these things. I can't hire staff, that's out of the question, so I need to find more reliable volunteers who can actually spend some serious time helping out. I don't know where to find these volunteers- do they even exist?
I know that if we can get through this economic situation we can get through anything, and we will get through this. There is nothing in the world I'd rather be doing than running my business, so we will keep plugging along. It may not be pretty right now, we're going through some seriously difficult times, but it won't last. All that is good doesn't last and neither does all that is bad- we live in a world of cycles. We're on the downside right now, but we'll keep hanging on and soon enough we'll be on the upside again.
So, I'm going to write my list for tomorrow- except I will put date auction sponsors at the bottom of the list and I will spend time concentrating on the things that I've let slide. The date auction is super important, but it is not our only source funding and I need to focus on other things. I will still work on the sponsorship tomorrow, but I will give it an hour time limit. I do need to get better with time limits- I will start working on a topic and intend to only work for one hour, but I get so focused with what I'm doing that I'll keep going for 2 or 3 hours. I get results obsessed. There is a high that comes with getting a good result and so until you reach that high, it is very hard to stop working on something. Yikes- I sound like an addict!
Anyways, I'm glad that I blogged tonight. I was feeling pretty stressed today, but it helped writing about things tonight. Well, I'm off to write my list, then bed. Until tomorrow friends..
Monday, June 1, 2009
Tote Bags!
Our tote bags have arrived! Actually, they arrived last week, but I didn't realize what they were, I thought they were boxes of stuffed animals- I was really busy and hadn't gotten to sorting in a little while. Last night, I was catching up on sorting and I opened the first box- imagine my surprise when I saw gorgeous green tote bags with our name, website and logo. They look terrific. The color is even better than the sample bag and the print quality is first rate. The bags are even better than I imagined. I was so excited when I opened the box, I actually gave a little scream! I can't wait to give them out at the date auction. I'm going to bring them to our event in CT on June 13 so we can start getting them out in circulation. I'm really glad that I ordered these bags- we need to get our name out there as much as possible and since tote bags are now so popular, this is good marketing. I am so proud of these bags, they really look awesome. I'm going to put a photo of them on our website and FB page too. They even have little side pockets that are perfect for a small bottle or other little items.
So what else is new? Well, we have a new sponsor for our date auction. It is not a platinum sponorship, but it is financial support and that's what is most important right now. It is a great company are our event is a perfect fit for their target audience, so I'm really happy to have them on board. We're still short of our financial sponsorship goal, but at least we making some more progress. Today, we also got another sponsor for our Anniversary Celebration- it is a smaller sponsorship than I had been hoping for, but at least it is something. I was a little nervous when I picked up the mail today- the envelope was very thin and I had a moment of mini panic that it was going to be a letter of rejection. We also got some new auction items in for our anniversary event- museum admissions, interior design gift certificate and another one that I can't remember right now.
I was sick at the end of last week, so there were quite a few things that I didn't get to. If I'm not feeling well, my productivity simply crawls. I was feeling a lot better today, but overwhelmed by all the different things that I have to do. I have a lot of big things to work on and also a lot of smaller things- bills to pay, letters that need sent, web updates to send our web host, June newsletter to write, etc. and a messy office to clean. I was planning on working on those things tonight, but my usual evening energy burst has yet to strike and I feel like I just need to sleep. I also need to start contacting police/fire departments for calendar photos- I can't believe it is already photo time. I always forget how much fun it is do the photos.
Well, that's it for tonight. I don't know what I'm going to do right now- it is 12:40 and I should go to bed so I can wake up at a decent hour and have amazing morning productivity, instead of going back to work until 2am and being my usual morning self- body awake, brain five steps behind. Anyways, hopefully tomorrow- I will have fab news on life at Project Smile. Until tomorrow friends..
So what else is new? Well, we have a new sponsor for our date auction. It is not a platinum sponorship, but it is financial support and that's what is most important right now. It is a great company are our event is a perfect fit for their target audience, so I'm really happy to have them on board. We're still short of our financial sponsorship goal, but at least we making some more progress. Today, we also got another sponsor for our Anniversary Celebration- it is a smaller sponsorship than I had been hoping for, but at least it is something. I was a little nervous when I picked up the mail today- the envelope was very thin and I had a moment of mini panic that it was going to be a letter of rejection. We also got some new auction items in for our anniversary event- museum admissions, interior design gift certificate and another one that I can't remember right now.
I was sick at the end of last week, so there were quite a few things that I didn't get to. If I'm not feeling well, my productivity simply crawls. I was feeling a lot better today, but overwhelmed by all the different things that I have to do. I have a lot of big things to work on and also a lot of smaller things- bills to pay, letters that need sent, web updates to send our web host, June newsletter to write, etc. and a messy office to clean. I was planning on working on those things tonight, but my usual evening energy burst has yet to strike and I feel like I just need to sleep. I also need to start contacting police/fire departments for calendar photos- I can't believe it is already photo time. I always forget how much fun it is do the photos.
Well, that's it for tonight. I don't know what I'm going to do right now- it is 12:40 and I should go to bed so I can wake up at a decent hour and have amazing morning productivity, instead of going back to work until 2am and being my usual morning self- body awake, brain five steps behind. Anyways, hopefully tomorrow- I will have fab news on life at Project Smile. Until tomorrow friends..
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